Expert: Blood Found in Kira Steger's Home

Updated: 09/25/2013 7:35 AM KSTP.com
By: Leslie Dyste

Blood stains and how they were tested was the focus of testimony Tuesday in the Jeffery Trevino murder trial. Tuesday was the fourth day of testimony in the trial, and testimony will continue Wednesday.

Thirty-nine-year-old Trevino of St. Paul is accused of killing his wife, Kira Steger.

The case drew a lot of attention after she went missing back in February; her body was found in the Mississippi River in May.

Investigators have long said the couple's St. Paul home had a large amount of blood in it. A forensic scientist who tested multiple areas in the couple's home and in Steger's car said numerous areas tested positive for the probability of blood.

The defense argued a positive test means those areas need further testing to indicate a 100 percent positive blood sample. The defense also argued one spot in the couple's bedroom turned out not to be human blood.

Video footage from a neighbor's surveillance camera was shown by prosecutors Monday. It captured multiple cars coming and going from the couple's east St. Paul home in the early morning hours the day Steger went missing. An airport taxi was seen pulling up to the home, and a man was seen walking to the home. Prosecutors believe Trevino took a cab home after he murdered his wife.

A few days later, Steger's white Chevy Cobalt was found at a parking ramp at Mall of America.

A Mall of America security guard, who ticketed the vehicle for being parked at the parking ramp for more than 48 hours, testified Monday morning. The security guard notified a tow company. The guard and the tow-truck driver were the first to open the doors of Steger's car. They found what appeared to be blood stains inside the trunk. The security guard also found a trunk liner tossed over the ramp and onto the snow, which he says also had stains on it.

St. Paul police officers processed the scene. Three officers from the Forensic Services Unit testified about the DNA and blood samples they found inside the car.

Steger's Social Security card and two insurance cards were found inside the vehicle, along with at least five bags and luggage packed with Steger's clothes. Blank divorce forms were also found inside the vehicle.

Trevino believed his wife was having an affair. Those suspicions were confirmed when Steger's former boss, at a clothing store she worked at, testified Monday. He said he started having an affair with Steger in the middle of February, around the time she went missing.

Prosecutors say on the day Trevino's wife was murdered, he played video games with a friend and bought cleaning supplies.